Yesica Tatiana

I have featured all the girls except Yesica Tatiana.  Yesica is our third child and the one that La Casita told us would be our easiest to transition.  Actually, Yesica has been the most difficult in many ways, and I guess in other ways not that much.  Yesica is a very sweet child and is the first to really show very positive signs of empathy.  She is the first to thank people and give someone a hug when they need it.  She has given us the most problems so far but I think that is  a sign that she is working through her own issues.  She is doing it now and we will have to work hard on others later.

She dislikes change and anything associated with it.  She wants constant attention (which could be that she is trying to make up for lost time) and approval and this can be a bit overwhelming at times.  She is learning that making your own decisions has its pitfalls and benefits.
Yesica (and Sucena) have not transitioned well into doing homework.  Not like the older two.  She does not like to study and pouts about it. She has gotten better at this, but still struggles.  I get the impression that not only was her homework and study practices different in Colombia but it also seems that because she is so sweet and nice (and pretty) that she did not have the same academic expectations as others (a problem we have seen in the US too).

Yesica has a tough time sharing with others, and is very possesive about material things.  On the other hand when she has a few extra things that she likes she is the first to offer them to others (a trait the others have not really learned yet).  She will give you the shirt off her back.
There are days when she wants to help and there are days she wants to do nothing in the house or study.  Yesica has definetely tested my patience in many ways.  So far Yesica has been the queen of the dramatic.  Not that others do not try to say things to get a response or exaggerate an idea to try to make a point.  She just does it more often and usually more effectively.  She says she is more interested in being a teacher but I think she could be an actress if she wants (she seems to be able to cry at will).
She has attached to Alex quite well ( a bit of a "daddy's girl").  Mercedes will ask her to do something and will get a whine and a grumpy demeanor but will be much more willing if not excited if Alex asks her to do the same activity.

Like her sisters she emphasizes on outer beauty and makes many comments about people's appearance (she vocalizes it more than the others, which doesn't mean she thinks about it more, she is just more open about her feelings).  She can be both compassionate and callous at the same time.  I attribute this to her lack of social skill development which is improving every day.  She is learning so many things in one year.   She loves little kids and connects best with adults and little ones, but not as much with her peers.  At her new day care she is making friends and we are very glad for that, since she does not seem to have made many friends at school.
Yesica is a pleaser, she wants you to be happy with her and we give her many compliments.  She has a great laugh and can be very funny.  Today I said "Yesica brings us back to reality" because when people are taking a conversation topic to an extreme she 'keeps it real' and bring us back to the reality of the topic.  I love that.  It is  a breath of fresh air.  When Yesica gets frustrated she gives herself a time out.  I have learned to do this from her. 



Yet with all the tears that Yesica has poured, I feel ultimately she might be the best adjusted because she has let herself grieve where others have not.  She is not afraid of crying and showing emotion in this sense, while the others are more guarded. I guess 'she keeps it real' as I mentioned before and this is just beautiful about her.  I can't express how nice it is to have this when the others are such intense children.  Yesica just let's it down.

She and I are alike in many ways, (we don't like to get scared, loud noises or horror movies).  She has not done sports yet because she wants to do basketball and we have not had luck with signing her up.   Yesica is finding herself in this process and it has been difficult for her, she is creating a new Yesica, just like the others.  However, I think she will find herself first.   We love her and her hugs.  This was one of Alex's biggest fears when we met the girls.  But when we met Yesica we knew Alex would get all the hugs that we needed and more.

Yesica is special to us.  Watching her transformation is like a work of art.  We hope you like her pictures.  We love her very much.